A/N This chapter basically covers some slight introspection by Reese during most of it with some Carter sprinkled in at the end. I do not own Person of Interest or any of its amazing characters. Enjoy

He never needed an alarm clock. His body just instinctively woke him up at 5:30am every day. He may not have gotten out of bed right away; he may even have gone back to sleep, but every morning he woke up at 5:30am.

When he woke up this morning, it was to the sound of quiet, steady breathing in his ears. He opened his eyes, and the room was still dark with just a hint of light coming through the window. He looked down to see Joss lying peacefully in his arms. Her chest rising and falling slowly. Her eyelashes fanning across her cheeks. Her fist tucked under her chin.

He had promised her that she would wake up next to him in the morning. And he surprised himself by keeping that promise. He was still terrified. Terrified that he would somehow mess things up, that he would somehow only end up hurting her, that he wouldn't be good enough. He still thought all of those things, but the need to be near her right now was so much greater than those fears.

He couldn't make himself leave. Not now, not even if he wanted to. He knew that she trusted him to keep his word. She'd fallen asleep believing that she could finally trust him and he didn't want to be a bastard and break her heart again. She'd never forgive him.

Besides, she felt good in his arms right now. She felt good against him. She lay in the crook of his arms, her back to his chest, his leg cradled between hers; they fit perfectly together like two pieces of a puzzle.

He looked at her while she slept. She seemed so peaceful. So comfortable. So beautiful. Her full lips, the curve of her mouth, so inviting. He stared at the apples of her cheeks, her doe eyes and her beautiful smooth skin.

What had he done to deserve her affection? What had he done to make her care so much about him?

He knew why he'd been drawn to her from the beginning. She looked past the dirty homeless guy and she reached out to the lost man underneath. She hadn't judged him based on what he looked like, but she was the first person in a long time that saw him as a man.

Of course he'd spent the better part of a few months running away from her. But he still managed to stay in her orbit. And after they started working together, he grew to care about her. She'd become a trusted friend. She meant a lot to him. It wasn't until he was faced with almost losing her that he realized just how much.

He hadn't dared think it. But the moment he brought her home from the hospital and helped her into her room, he finally did. His lips touched hers and he realized, he was in love with her. It had literally terrified him so much that he had to run away.

After Jessica, he didn't feel as if he deserved love. Not anymore. He and Finch had reluctantly become friends over time. He was finally warming up to Fusco, but Carter? To him she was perfect. She was too good. She was unattainable as anything more than a friend.

She was too good of a person, she was pure, unsullied by the things he had seen and done.

How could it be that her opinion of him had seemed to change for the better after she found out about New Rochelle? She seemed to empathize with him even more. How could he possibly deserve that?

She represented a light, and the darkness inside him was afraid for the light to shine on him. He wasn't good enough. Or so he thought.

But here she was, and she wanted to prove him wrong. She'd seen him for what he used to be, for what he was, and she still thought that he was beautiful.

He didn't think that he deserved it, but he was grateful nonetheless.

He ran his hand along the outline of her thighs, over her hips and across her stomach. He pressed his lips to the back of her ear.

He wanted her. He had wanted her last night. And he thought her undressing him before they got into bed, was the sweetest, gentlest thing she could have done. It was also the sexiest. He wanted nothing more than to take her just then. But he knew he couldn't.

Things were shaky. It was his fault that things were shaky. And he couldn't try to make love to her after walking out of her life so suddenly. It wouldn't be right; it wouldn't be fair to her. She was too vulnerable. And if he hadn't the courage to stay till morning, it would devastate her in a way she'd never recover from.

He needed her to trust him again. He needed her to believe in him again. Like she did before. Besides, she thought he was drunk and he knew any attempt to be with her last night would have been met with protests.

He ran his finger along the tip of her nose and she stirred. His hands ran over her thighs again and she finally woke up. She groaned a little as he buried his face in her neck and he saw her smile as she turned and looked up at him.

It warmed his heart and she snuggled closer to him, her face in his chest.

"You stayed." She said quietly and put her arms around him. He hugged her back and his fingers touched the nape of her neck. He pulled at the strands of her hair there.

"I promised you I would." He replied simply. "I'm here for as long as you want."

He felt content laying there with her and she curled up in his arms.

She looked at him in the soft morning light; almost as if she couldn't believe he was there. There was so much emotion on her face, she seemed to want to say so much but she looked as if she didn't know where to begin.

She opened her mouth to speak, but she closed it again, shaking her head. He wondered at what she wanted to say, but she moved closer to him, putting her hand on his face and simply pressed her lips softly against his.

She wanted him. It was in her eyes, it was in the soft way she touched his chest just then. It was in the way she pressed her body against his. She wanted him. she wanted to take the next step with him. but he could also see how scared she was. Being with him could change everything. hopefully it could change things for the better.

His hopes and fears were mirrored in her eyes. he could't help but smile a little as he cupped the back of her neck and pulled her close.

A/N Left on a cliff hanger I know. But the next chapter will be worth it. Thanks for following the story! Love all your great reviews.